Electric push-button



(No Moolel.)

M. STRAUS.

, ELECTRIC PUSH BUTTON. No. 452,397. Patented May 19,1891.

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Til/ 531 9666: Evan/C?! r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAX s'rRAUs, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ELECTRIC PUSH-BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 452,397, dated May 19, 1891.

7 Application filed October 4, 1890. Serial No. 367,044- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, MAX STRAUS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Baltimore, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Push-Buttons; and I do hereby'declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to electric push-buttons for closing electric circuits.

Heretofore push-buttons have been constructed with a base-plate having circuitterminals attached thereto and a push-button resting upon the movable terminal with its top projecting through an opening in the top of a removable cap, so that by pressing upon said button with the finger the circuit-terminals are brought in contact and the electric circuit closed; but push-buttons constructed in this manner have no protection from outside interference and are free to be operated by any one who may desire to push the button and close the circuit, which often causes great annoyance to those using the electric signal-bell system and in buildings equipped with private signal and fire-alarm bells as Well as time-detectors operated by push-buttons at different stations throughout the building, the closing of the circuits and operation of the signal, fire-alarm bells, and detectors by persons other than those in authority cause great annoyance, and in the case of fire-alarms often cause loss of life. This difficulty I propose to obviate; and the object of my invention is to construct a cap for the push-button having a plate or diaphragm with a key-opening in front of the push-button, so that the button is protected from outside interference and cannot be operated to close the circuit unless the right key be insertedin the key-opening; and to this end the nature of my invention consists of constructions and combinations, all as will hereinafter be described in the specification,

and particularly pointed out in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved push-button; Fig. 2, a section of the same; Fig. 3, a perspective of the base-plate with cap removed, and Fig. 4 a top view of the cap.

A represents the base-plate, having the usual fixed and movable terminals a a attached thereto, with a push-button a resting on said movable terminal a, by which the terminals are brought into contact and the electric circuit closed.

B is the removable cap for said push-button a and is secured to the base-plate in any desired manner, and provided with a front plate or diaphragm 0, having a key-opening c of any desired form in front of said push-button a so that by inserting a key in the keyopening the button can be pushed in and the terminals made to contact, thus closing the electrical circuit.

It will be observed that by this construction the button is protected from outside interference and cannot be operated unless by the party having the key to the opening.

The front plate or diaphragm O can be socured to the cap B in any desired manner, or it may be made integral therewith without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having fully' described my inventiomwhat I claim is- In an electric push-button, the combination of a base-plate having the fixed and movable terminals attached thereto, a push -button resting on said movable terminal, a cap for said push-button secured to said base-plate and having a front plate or diaphragm with key-opening in advance of said push-button, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MAX STRAUS.

Witnesses:

LEON HARTMAN, G. W. S. MUSGRAVE. 

